21

Nov

Post-Earthquake Recovery Project (2015-2018)

Despite its proximity to Dolakha District, the epicenter of the third major 2015 earthquake on 12 May, Solukhumbu is not one of the 14 severely affected districts as defined by the Government of Nepal.   As a result, many households in Solukhumbu District were left with very little support for recovery.  Under this EcoHimal project in funding support of EcoHimal Austria, relief and recovery responses were provided in the following manner: a) immediate relief (food, water, clothing, and shelter); b) training and awareness; and c) an early recovery package. The major outcomes of the project were as follows.

A.       Immediate Relief:

a)      provision of temporary shelters for 849 most affected households,

b)     provision of basic medical and health services to all affected individuals,

c)      immediate nutritional needs provided, especially to the most vulnerable – children, pregnant and lactating women, and the elderly,

d)     immediate support to ensure that the paddy and other summer crops are planted on time.

 

B.        Training and Awareness raising:

e)      provision of a resource person for at least 5 days in each VDC to train 25 community members in improved local building techniques;

f)       psychosocial and health, hygiene and sanitation training particularly for the affected households; as many of the VDC communities were included as possible.

 

C.        Early Recovery:

g)     debris management from all affected HHs of the project area (most houses were in a badly cracked condition, and support was required for safe demolition and dismantling),

h)     Provision of seeds, tools, polytunnels, saplings and seedlings, and small livestock to ensure agricultural activities and cash income generation were resumed as soon as possible.